Believe it or not, constipation toddler problems are one of the most frustrating yet common problems parents are forced to deal with. There are typically four reasons your child is suffering from constipation pain:
* Consuming food that don’t contain enough fibers * Drinking more milk than the recommended daily amount (12-16 oz.) * Not drinking enough water * Waiting to long to go to the bathroom, or ignoring it all together
And here’s the kicker. Once you start recognizing the constipation symptoms your child suffers, you’ll also start noticing that they are holding bowel movements. The reason being is that their stools have become hard and painful and they end up holding it in to avoid the pain.
You want to learn what constipation treatment will help your toddler regain soft comfortable stools again? Stay with me and read on.
First of all you should start focusing on what your toddler is eating and drinking during the day.
Meaning:
1. Juice, milk and water – make sure you are giving your toddler enough. Dehydration will make stools harder, especially during hot weather.
The best way to check if your toddler has enough to drink is checking how often it urinates. If your child goes to the toilet at least once every three hours you’re good.
2. Load up on the fiber. Remember, fresh fruits and vegetables are high in fiber. Your child needs three servings of vegetables a day along side of two servings of fruit.
If your child is a picky eater, try a variety of breakfast bars and cereals rich in fiber. Plus giving him or her apples, bananas and peanut butter can help end constipation toddler issues.
Another way of getting the stool absorb more water is by giving your child supplemental fiber like Metamucil. This will help the fecal matter to flow gently through the colon.
3. You could give your child 2 tsps of vegetable oil every day. This will add a coating to the stool which helps it slide through the intestines much easier.
Increase by 1tsp every other day until your childs stool is soft and the rectum has healed. Understand that mineral oil will taste disgusting to your child, so mix it with a shake, juice, ice cream or even Jell-O.
4. Get into the routine of having your child sit on the toilet for 5 to 10 minutes after eating. Its important that your child get out of the habit of resisting the urge to go to the bathroom due to the pain. This only makes stools harder.
When you follow these guidelines you wont have to battle with constipation toddler issues for much longer. More fiber, avoid dehydration, mineral oil and setting a new bathroom routine are all you may need to give your child a sense of relief and comfort.
